DarkRed Color
DarkRed is a red color with hex code #8B0000. This page covers its meaning, all color values, harmonies, colors that go with darkred, shades, tints, similar colors, CSS examples, FAQs, and WCAG contrast ratios.
DarkRed Color Values
What Does DarkRed Mean?
DarkRed belongs to the red family of colors. Reds grab attention faster than anything else on the spectrum. It's why clearance tags, warning signs, and buy buttons lean on red tones, and why painters reach for red when a focal point has to carry a composition. Reds also advance visually, stepping forward while cooler hues recede into the background. Being on the dark side, DarkRed adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
In the ISCC-NBS color naming system, DarkRed is classified as a orange (nearest centroid: deep reddish orange, #AA381E). It is also known as Scab Red.
Color Harmonies
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Colors That Go With DarkRed
DarkRed and #008A8A are complements, parked opposite each other on the wheel. Together they hit maximum contrast, so a rough 70/30 split keeps the pairing from shouting.
Analogous neighbors — #8A0045 and #8A4500, which sit beside darkred on the wheel. Pairings like this feel calm and settled, which suits backgrounds and gradients.
For an energetic three-color palette, pair darkred with triadic partners #008A00 and #00008A. All three sit evenly spaced around the wheel, so the scheme stays lively without clashing.
Build and test these combinations in our Color Wheel Tool or check text readability with the Contrast Checker.
Tints and Shades
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Similar Colors
- Red Berry —
#8E0000(Delta E 1) - Dark Red —
#840000(Delta E 3) - Sangria —
#92000A(Delta E 3) - Indian Red —
#850E04(Delta E 5) - Blood Red —
#980002(Delta E 5)
CSS Examples
.text { color: #8B0000; }
.background { background-color: #8B0000; }
.border { border: 2px solid #8B0000; }
.shadow { box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #8B000040; }WCAG Contrast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for darkred?
DarkRed has the hex code #8B0000. In RGB notation it is rgb(139, 0, 0), in HSL it is hsl(0, 100%, 27%), and its OKLCH value is 0.4, 0.164, 29.2.
What does the color darkred mean?
Red-family colors like darkred carry distinct psychological associations. DarkRed belongs to the red family of colors. Reds grab attention faster than anything else on the spectrum. It's why clearance tags, warning signs, and buy buttons lean on red tones, and why painters reach for red when a focal point has to carry a composition. Reds also advance visually, stepping forward while cooler hues recede into the background. Being on the dark side, DarkRed adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
What colors go with darkred?
DarkRed has three easy routes: its complement #008A8A for punch, its neighbors #8A0045 and #8A4500 for something calmer, or triadic partners #008A00 and #00008A when you want energy.
Is darkred a standard web color?
Yes — DarkRed is part of the CSS named colors specification, so you can use it directly in CSS as #8B0000 or with the keyword form where supported.
How do I make darkred lighter or darker?
To lighten darkred, add white to create tints; to darken it, add black to create shades. The tints and shades table above shows five computed steps of each, from #FFC2C2 (lightest tint) to #1A0000 (darkest shade).
About DarkRed
DarkRed is classified as a Orange in the ISCC-NBS color naming system, within the Red hue family. It has alternative names including Scab Red. The color is recognized by CSS3, X11, meodai.
Use our Color Converter to convert #8B0000 to any other color format, or explore the Color Wheel to find harmonious color combinations.